Skyfall
by WishingIwasLester'sGirl
Summary: What happens when Rangeman lands the security account for the hottest new club in Trenton? Will a Merry Man find love? Babe established; MM/OC pairing. This is my first fanfic, so be gentle.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own any of the characters in this, except for a few, they are the property of JE. I'm making no money and all the other disclaimers. This is my very first fanfic and would never have happened if weren't for my girl XxTartLoverxX. You are absolutely amazing! This hasn't been beta'd, so bear with my mistakes.

RAM POV

I walked into the conference room not really knowing what to expect. Ranger had called a meeting for a bunch of us in the later part of the afternoon. When we were all seated, he began.

"Thanks for coming gentlemen. I know this is short notice, but I need all of you to meet me at a new club that has opened in Trenton. The owner of Onyx contacted me and asked if we would take him and his club on as a new client. Stephanie has already run a search on the owner and everyone and they are all clean. We need to go there and check the place out for alarms and security personel. If you guys have dates tonight, you can bring them because this is such short again. Any questions?" Of course Santos had to say something.

"What type of club is this? I might cancel my date and see what there is choose from at this club." Ranger glared at him.

"You are going to be there to do a job Santos. It's a nice dance club. They are actually going to be having a bad perform there tonight that is supposed to be really good. I'll see you guys there at 2200 sharp. Dismissed."

Great. Now I have to dress up and go to a club tonight. All I wanted to do was relax. I was not in the mood to go clubbing,but I guess I do need to start dating again, or at least getting some. Maybe Lester has the right idea. Fuck'em and leave'em. I guess I need to finish up this paperwork so I can be ready to go. I had just finished up my paperwork when Lester came bounding into my cubical.

"Dude, are finished yet." I tossed the last file into the 'out' box.

"I am now, why?" He grinned.

"Beause it's 2100 and you aren't ready to go." I looked at my watch. I'd been sitting here for four hours.

"Oh shit! Can I ride with you man? I don't feel like driving."

"Sure, but you better be down in the garage by 2130. I'm not going to be late because of you." I chuckled.

"I'll be down there. It's not like I'm a girl and it takes me that long to get ready. How long does it take you?" He grinned.

"It takes me at least 45 minutes." I looked at him wide eyed."What? You think my hair is naturally this beautiful? It takes time to get my spikes juuuuuuust right." I rolled my eyes.

"Get out of here. I'll meet you downstairs in a few."

I went down to my apartment to shower and change. I decided to go with a blue button up with my jeans instead of black. I always wear black. I was ready in 10 minutes. I desided to spray on some Axe, just in case. When I got down to the garage, Santos was already there looking like a kid at Christmas. He loved going clubbing and picking up women. I had to chuckle.

"You aren't excited, are you Les?" He just looked at me.  
"Hell yeah I am! A club full of hot women dancing, looking for a hot guy to take home." I gave him a stern look.

"You better not ditch me Santos!" He raised a brow.

"Fine, fine. Can we just go now?" I nodded and got in the SUV

The ride to the club was relatively quiet, with the exception of the music Lester was blaring. I'm surprised he's not deaf. We finally arrived at the club and the line was wrapped all the way around the building. I couldn't believe it. Lester parked in back where the other guys were. When Ranger got there we all got out and went to the front of the club, and was let right in. I had to say the club was pretty impressive. It was classier than most of the clubs. I could see the appeal of it. Ranger led us to the back where we met with the owner Tim Jenson. We were given free reign of the place to check it out. We all separated to check our assigned areas. When we were finished we were to meet back up in Tim's office and give our input. After all the business was finished, Ranger told us to go out and stay for the rest of the night because there may be questions and he wanted us to get a real feel for the place. I just wanted to go home.I was the closest to door, so I opened it to walk back into the club, when I heard the most amazing voice coming from the speakers. I stopped dead in my tracks. Lester ran into me.

"What the fuck Ram? Why'd you stop?" I shook my head.

"Sorry man. That voice just caught me off guard." He started pushing me.

"I know! I want to get out there and see who that voice is coming from. If she's as lovely as her voice, I know who I'm going home with tonight." He wiggled his eyebrows. I just shook my head.

We all walked down the hall leading to the main part of the club and I looked up. There she was, singing Skyfall by Adele. She was so beautiful. She had black hair with the most tasteful blue streaks in it. Her eyes were green and she had the most full lips. I stopped walking again and just stared at her. Her voice was incredible. The couples dancing on the dance floor seemed so soothes by her voice as danced slowly together. She looked up while she was singing and I'd swear she was looking right at me. She winked. I heard Lester first.

"Holy shit! She is fuckin HOT!" Then Woody.

"She's hotter than a June bug in July." Even Hector said he'd do her and he's gay!

"Damn..." That's all poor Hal could get out. He was so red. Tank finally spoke up.

"Ok yes, we've all seen the beautiful woman on stage. Can you guys act like this isn't the first time you seen a woman; EVER?" I started laughing, then everyone else did too.

We went and got a big round table and pulled it to a booth in the corner. We ordered a few pitchers of beer, and Steph and Ranger came out of the office and joined us. They have been dating for about six months now, so he's usually in a much better mood. He was talking to Tank when Steph asked me if I wanted to dance.

"Ok, but just this slow song." She nodded. It was so hard not to look at the stage.

"You seem distracted Ram. What's going on?" I shook my head.

"Nothing. Everything's fine." She gave me that look.

"Bullshit."  
"I guess since Karen and I broke up, I've been kind of stuck in a slump." She smiled at me.

"That may have been your problem, but don't think I haven't noticed the fact that you can't take your eyes off of Kat." I furrowed my brow.

"Who's Kat?" Steph being Steph rolled her eyes.

"Men. The singer that you all have been gawking at. Her name is Katarina, but she goes by Kat. The band's name is Kat's Alley." I nodded a few times.

"Oh, ok. Sorry, but I didn't know anyone that knew her name. And I haven't been gawking or staring. She has a beautiful voice." I looked back up at her as she finished the song.

"Right, ok. Whatever you say Ram." We clapped and started walking back over to the table. The next song she sang, blew me out of the water, along with everyone else.

"HOW MANY AC/DC FANS DO I HAVE HERE?" The crowd roared. "I THINK IT'S TIME YOU ALL GOT THUNDERSTRUUUUUUUCK!" She launched into Thunderstruck by AC/DC, and it was awesome! I had no idea a chick could sing AC/DC and sound good, much less awesome.

We all were both shocked and impressed with the variety of music that she could sing. Everybody would go out dancing every so often, but I just watched. The way she moved was amazing. God I'd love to meet her. It was getting to be closing time, and she finished her final set. The band was packing up and all of the patrons were now gone, but I hadn't seen Kat. A few minutes went by and I saw her walking over to the bar with Tim and they were talking. The bartender poured her a shot, she downed it and motioned for another. She did this a few more times. I was wondering when the shots were going to start hitting her. They started walking towards our table.

"Everyone, this is Kat Novak. She's the lead singer of Kat's Alley. They will be performing here on a regular basis, now that you guys are going security here." She smiled.

"Hi everyone. It's very nice to meet you all." She shook all of our hands as we introduced ourselves. Lester kissed her hand, but she didn't blush like every other woman did. Interesting. When we were done she laughed.

"I'm probably going to need you guys to tell me your names again. That's a lot of names and faces to remember and I just had 6 shots of bourbon." We all laughed with her. Wow. Beautiful, talented, funny, and down to earth. "If you guys will excuse me, I need to go talk to the band. It was great to meet you guys. Hope I'll see ya soon." I watched her walk back to the stage.

"DAMN! She's got a perfect ass too!" Lester wasn't lying. She did have a perfect ass.

"SANTOS! She is an extension of our client. You will treat her with the respect she deserves. Is that clear?" Damn, Ranger sounds pissed.

"Yes Boss."

"That goes for all of you." He looked at each one of us individually. I noticed Steph laughing.

"What's so funny Beautiful?"

"Well, she seems to be immune to the Santos charm. She's a lucky girl." And she started laughing even harder.

"Hey, don't count me out yet. I haven't even begun to turn on the Santos charm." Steph rolled her eye.

"I'm gonna go talk to her. She seems really sweet. I'll be back in a few." Steph walked over and started to talk to Kat. I noticed Kat lose her balance a few times and then Steph started walking back over here.

"Hey, do you think one of you guys could give her a ride home? I don't think she should be driving. She forgot she didn't have anything to eat before the show." Lester jumped at the chance.

"I WILL! I'll be happy to take her home." I'll bet he would. I glared at him. Ranger cleared his throat.

"Ram, you'll take her home." I looked up surprised.

"Me? I rode with Lester." Lester started looking hopeful again.

"Santos can ride back with Steph and I. I think he needs a lesson in how to respect a woman." I couldn't help but chuckle. He cringed. Steph laughed.

"Ok, I'll go tell her and bring her back over here." Shit, I was actually kind of nervous. Steph and Kat walked back over laughing about something.

"Kat, Ram here will take you home. Give me a call in the morning, ok?" She nodded.

"Sure Steph, thanks." Then she looked at me. "Are you sure it's no trouble to take me home?" I smiled.

"It's no trouble at all kitten." Damn, she blushed. "I mean Kat." She smiled at me.

"It's ok, you can call me that if you like. I've been called much worse." And she giggled. Damn, now I was probably blushing.

"Are you ready to go?" She nodded, so I led her out to the SUV.

"Thank you so much for doing this. I completely forgot that I didn't have time to eat before the show, so the bourbon wasn't such a good idea." She laughed again.

"It's not a problem. So where do you live?"

"Oh, I live on Hamilton." When she gave me her exact address I couldn't believe it. She lived just down the street from Rangeman!

"I know exactly where that is. I live and work on that street too." She looked at me funny.

"Imagine that." She looked thoughtful.

"Imagine what?" She smiled and shook her head.

"Earlier today I had a fortune cookie, and my fortune said, 'Your path will cross with someone important tonight' In Bed." My eyebrows shot up and I looked at her. She started laughing even harder now.

"Back in high school we always put the phrase 'In Bed' at the end of every fortune. It works with any of them. Sometimes they're hilarious." She actually had me laughing now. It was something I hadn't really done in over a month. When we finally got to her house, I got out and went to open her door, but she already had it open. She looked at me surprised.

"I see chivalry is not dead." I grinned at her.

"Not in me it isn't."

"Well thank you kind sir." I can't believe she's making me blush. I walked her up to her door and waited until she got the door unlocked. She turned to me.  
"Thank you so much Ram for making sure I got home. Will I see you soon?" I wasn't really sure what she was asking me, but I did want to see her soon.

"Absolutely." She got up on her tip toes and gave me a gentle kiss on my lips. She pulled back and opened her beautiful eyes.

"Till next time then." She smiled and went in the house and locked up. I brought my hand to my lips as I walked back to the SUV. I need a cold shower.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Once again, I own nothing you recognize, and I'm making no money. Thank you once again to XxTartLoverxX for all of your encouragement and support! Thank you so much for the reviews. Since this is my first fic, they mean so much!

Ram POV

The entire way home I was hard as a fucking rock. I could have nailed 2x4's together with my dick. When I pulled in I rolled my eyes. Santos was leaning up against one of the SUV's. I adjusted myself before I got out. I didn't want Lester giving me shit tonight. I finally decided to get it over with. I got out of the vehicle and headed to the stairs.

"So. Did she invite you in?" I stopped and turned around.

"No. She didn't invite me in. We didn't have sex. I took her home and now I'm back here. Anything else?" I was a little short tempered.

"Jesus Ram. You need to get laid." He didn't know the half of it.

"Can I go now? I just want to go to bed." He put his hands up.

"Ok, ok. I'll catch you tomorrow." I blew out a sigh of relief.

"Alright man. Night."

I woke up the next morning with a raging hard on. I had dreams about Kat all fucking night. I hardly slept. What the fuck is the matter with me. I need more than a cold shower this morning. FUCK! Maybe Lester's right. I just need to get laid. I got in the shower and took care of my 'problem'. Then I headed to the gym for my morning work out. When I walked in everyone looked at me.

"What the fuck are you guys looking at me like that for?" Cal looked at me.

"We were just talking about what a lucky fucker you were last night, getting to take Kat home." Jesus Christ.

"It's not that big of a deal you guys. I drove her home and came back here."

"You're telling us you didn't make a move at all on her?" I nodded once. "Well did she make a move on you?" I guess I blushed or looked a little uncomfortable because they are started whistling and hollering.

"Knock it off guys. It was just a peck on the lips to say thank you for taking her home. It was nothing."

"Ok, we'll back off. We'll wait for her to decide which of us she likes best." Great, now they're making this a contest. I noticed all of them puff their chests out. I rolled my eyes and went to warm up on the treadmill.

When I was finished with my work out, I decided to go back up to my apartment to shower and dress for the day. When I got to the morning meeting, I sat at the very end of the table. I didn't want to be between any trash talkers. Ranger and Tank walked in.

"Good morning gentlemen. As most of you know, we landed the Onyx account last night. This is a very lucrative contract for us, so for a while, I want our best men there. I'm sending around a sign up sheet for the first two weeks. I want you guys to sign up for shifts to work security at the club." When the sheet got to me, all of the blanks were full for the days when Kat was performing, and empty when she wasn't. Guys even wrote their names in under the blanks. I went ahead and signed up for the days that no one else did. I took the sheet back up to Ranger. He looked at me and raised a brow. I shrugged.

"Someone has to work those other days, and I was the last one to get the sheet." He nodded once and I went back to my chair. He whispered with Tank for a minute.

"Since it seems like we can't get a rotation voluarily, Tank and I will come up with one for you. With the exception of Ram. Ram, you may still choose." I sat up straighter.

"Just go ahead and mix me into the rotation. I have no preference." Ranger nodded, and I think his lips twitched.

The rest of the meeting was pretty standard. When we all walked out, the floor was quiet, which was unusual. We all came around the corner and saw a bunch of the guys milling around the door way of the breakroom. When they noticed us coming down the hall, they parted like the Red Sea. There sat Kat and Steph having a cup of coffee, muffins, and talking. Steph finally looked up and waved all of us over.

"Ranger, everybody. Kat made muffins and brought them in for everyone!" Steph took a bite and moaned. "I can't believe these are good for me!" We all turned to Kat.

"Hey everyone. Sorry about how I'm dressed, but I'm not really a morning person and I wanted to get these over here before you guys started work." I looked down at what she was wearing and smiled. She was wearing Spongebob Squarepants footie pajamas, and her hair was piled up on top of her head with stray curls hanging down. She looked beautiful, adorable, and sexy all at the same time. How does she do that? Lester brought me out of my musings.

"Did you come to visit me gorgeous?" She looked at Steph and rolled her eyes.

"Sorry playa, you're out of luck. I actually need to get back home and get some more sleep before tonight. There's going to be an after hours party tonight after the show. You should come Steph!"

"I'll see what Ranger and I are doing, but things like that aren't really his scene." Kat looked disappointed.

"I understand, but it's just a bunch of people sitting around drinking after the show. I have to go because people that follow the band are going to be there. Sometimes I think I'm too old for this shit, but it's too much fun! Give me a call later Steph. I'll still text you the address in case you change your mind." She got up and started walking right towards me.

"What about you sugar? You up for a party?" I wanted to tell her I was up for anything that involved her.

"Ummm...let me see how the day goes here. Plans can change pretty quick." She shrugged.

"Well ok. If any of you decided you want to go, we'll be performing at the club again tonight." She turned around and grabbed a piece of paper. She scibbled an address down and tacked it up to the bulletin board. "This is where the party will be tonight. Bye everyone." She looked at me and winked. "Later Ram."

"See ya."

The day seemed to drag on. I actually wanted to go to this party just so I could see Kat again and maybe hang out a little with her. I still needed to ask Steph what she thinks Kat meant when she asked if she'd see me soon. I got up and walked over to her cubicle.

"Hey Steph, ya got a minute?" She looked up at me.

"Sure Ram. What's up?" I looked around and then bent down. I didn't want anyone overhearing this.

"Last night when I dropped Kat off, she asked me if she'd see me soon. Then she gave me a kiss on my lips. What do you think she meant?" Steph rolled her eyes.

"Duh. She meant that she likes you and wants to see you again, soon." I furrowed my brow.

"Are you sure it wasn't just a thank you for taking her home?" I didn't want to look like an ass. Steph sighed.

"Trust me Ram, she likes you. What the hell did Karen do to you?" I looked down, then back at Steph. She looked concerned.

"She basically used me to make her ex jealous. She told me that I was just a hot guy with a pretty face. She told me that she could never love someone like me." I saw anger in Steph's eyes.

"Where is she? I will beat her ass!" I had to smile at her protectiveness. That's just one of the things I loved about Steph.

"Calm down. It happened over a month ago and I don't know where she is. I just don't want to get hurt again." I was feeling a little vulnerable.

"It's ok Ram. We've all been there. Give Kat a chance. She's really sweet, and she's someone who I think actually deserves someone as wonderful as you." I smiled at her. Talking to Steph always made me feel better.

"Ok. If you want to go to the after party, you can come with me."

"Actually, I think I may have talked Ranger into going. He's making me go gun shopping with him, so I told him that this is what I wanted to do tonight. I think a bunch of the other guys are going too." I chuckled. Ranger does love to make Steph happy.

"Ok then. I'll see you there."

When I got back to my desk the club schedule was there. I worked every night Kat performed and was off every night that she didn't. I was beginning to wonder if Stephanie Plum wasn't a puppet master, pulling everyone's strings. I smiled to myself and headed to my apartment to shower and change for working the club.

The night was going well. Kat was sensational. She would come and talk to me when they took their breaks. Most of the guys that were off duty came to the club to see her perform as well, then we were all going to head over to the party. When the set was finished, she told all of us that she needed to change and then we could all follow each other to the party.

"Do you want to ride with me kitten?" She smiled.

"Of course sugar." We all walked out to our vehicles and drove to this huge house. We all walked in and there were people everywhere. Her manager came up to her.

"Kat where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you!" She rolled her eyes.

"Jesus Jake. Chillax. I was working." He grabbed her by the wrist and started to drag her through the house. Steph looked at me.

"Ram, did you just growl?" I didn't answer her. I was listening to Kat's manager tell her she needed to go around and talk to people. I didn't like the way 'Jake' was handling her. All of us got some beers and made our way out back. There was a pool, jacuzzi, and a huge backyard; but no Kat. I was still looking for her when a pair of hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who?" I smiled

"A woman with the voice of a goddess?" She dropped her hands and stood next to me.

"Oh please. You flatter me." She had a green drink.

"What are you drinking?" She took a sip.

"A Mellonballer, with double shots." I laughed. There was music, so I asked her to dance.

"I would love to sugar."

She finished off most of her drink and set it down. We started slow dancing and I looked down at her. When she looked up at me with those gorgeous eyes, I couldn't help myself. I bent down and kissed her. It started slow, then my tongue traced her lips and she open them. When our tongues touched the kiss deepened. The only reason we pull apart was because she lost her balance.

"Sorry Ram. I'm feeling a little dizzy. Can you help me to one of the lounge chairs?" I picked her up and carried her to one and laid her down.

"I'm gonna go find Bobby. He's our medic, ok?" She looked like she was having trouble focusing on me. I ran over to where most everyone was.

"Bobby, I need you to come with me and check on Kat. She got real dizzy and it looked like she couldn't focus." Everyone came running back over to her with me. When I saw her, she looked like she was asleep, but we couldn't get her to wake up.

"Cal, can you run to the SUV and get my bag? Ram, did you see her take anydrugs or anything?" I shook my head.

"No. She doesn't do that. She only had one drink." Bobby looked at me.

"Where is it? Can you bring it to me?" I went and got the glass and brought it to him. When Cal came back with his bag, he took something out of it and dipped it in the glass. It started to turn colors. Bobby looked up at all of us.

"Someone roofied her drink." I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. "She'll likely be ok. She won't remember it. At least we got to her before someone else did." I picked her up and started walking. Bobby shouted after me.

"Where are you taking her?" I stopped and turned around.

"I'm taking her to my place. Someone obviously had plans for her tonight, but it's not gonna happen. She'll sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch. Does anyone have a problem with that?" They all just looked at me and shook their heads.

I got her in the SUV and buckled her in. The more I thought about the fact that someone wanted to rape her tonight, the more angry I got. When I finally made it back to Rangeman, I carefully picked her up and carried her up to my apartment. I pulled back the blankets and carefully laid her down and covered her up. I went to go take a shower and calm the fuck down.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry about the odd page breaks at the end. I had a problem getting the breaks to work correctly :( Once again, not mine, and thanks for all of the wonderful reviews!

I woke up the next morning and looked in on Kat. It looked like she hadn't even moved during the night. She looked so peaceful and beautiful laying there in my bed. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, but that smile soon fell when I remembered the reason she was here in my bed. Last night, someone wanted to do something to her. I don't know the details behind it, but I hope there's a way to find out. She is so sweet, talented, and special; I don't know why anyone would want to hurt her.

I did my workout here in the apartment, in case she woke up. I showered and dressed for the morning meeting and she still hadn't even stirred. I ate breakfast, left a note for Kat, kissed her on the forehead, and headed up to the meeting. When I walked in, it became silent and all eyes were on me. Before I could open my mouth, Ranger and Tank walked in the door, so I just sat down.

"Good morning gentlement." Then he looked at me. "How is Miss Novak this morning?" I looked him in the eye.

"She hasn't woke up yet. I left a note by the bed in case she wakes up while I'm here." He nodded once.

"We questioned the guests at the party, and no one seems to know anything about the roofies. It also appears she was the only victim, which I think rules out just a random incident. Let us know when she wakes up. I'll send Bobby up after the meeting to look her over. I don't want her waking up alone, you're dismissed." I nodded back and walked out of the room.

I double timed it down the stairs so I could get back to my apartment ASAP. I hope she didn't wake up while I was gone. When I entered my apartment it was silent. I walked to the doorway of my bedroom, and she was laying there just as I had left her. I took the note and threw it away, then I went back in and sat next to her on the bed. I was stroking her hair and her face. She sighed and smiled in her sleep. My heart flipped. I don't know if it's just me or not, but there's just something about her that draws me to her. I don't know if it's chemistry, her personality, or what; but I've got to get to know this girl better. I was brought out of my musings by a knock at the door. I got up to go answer it.

"Hey Bobby, c'mon on in. She still isn't awake. Is that normal?" He looked at me as we walked to the kitchen.

"I haven't had a lot of experience with this, but it can vary. I wouldn't be too worried about it man. If she doesn't wake up in the next few hours, we'll look further into it." I nodded. Just as I was about to ask another question, I heard a noise and then Kat's voice.

"What the fuck! Where the hell am I? Why does does my head hurt so fucking bad?" I walked in to see her with her hands around her head. She looked up confused.

"Ram? Where am I?" I came to the side of the bed and sat.

"You're at my apartment." Her eyes widened.

"Did you and I...did we...last night..." I gave her a small smile to ease her mind.

"No. Nothing happened between us last night. I brought you back here, put you under the blankets, and I slept on the couch." She blushed.

"But why am I here? Why don't I remember coming here? In fact, I don't really remember much of last night at all. Why is that? I only had one drink!" I looked at her sadly.

"Someone roofied your drink last night. When you and I were dancing, you said you felt dizzy. I took you over to a lounge chair and laid you down. I went to get Bobby, and when we got back, you were passed out. He tested your drink, and it was positive for roofies." She furrowed her brow. "He's actually right outside the door. Is it ok if he comes in and looks you over a little bit to make sure everything is ok?" She nodded, still shocked. She grabbed my hand as I was getting up.

"Will you please stay?" I smiled at her and ran my finger down her cheek.

"Of course kitten, let me just go get Bobby."

I went and brought Bobby back with me. He said it looked like she would be ok, but he wanted her to stand up so he could check her focus, coordination, and balance. She almost fell a few times, so he said she still needed to lay down, rest, and drink a lot of water to get the drug out of her system. After I helped her to the restroom, Ella arrived with an extra toothbrush and some breakfast for Kat. When Kat opened the door I handed her the toothbrush and told her that breakfast was here. She nodded and went to brush her teeth. When she came out, she had her curls piled on top of her head again and she looked gorgeous. She must have seen me looking at her.

"Sorry Ram. I must look like a complete mess." She went to turn away from me, but I took her hand and pulled her to me. I looked into those mesmerizing eyes.

"No. I was actually thinking about how gorgeous you look." She blushed, and I lifted her chin to give her a chaste kiss. She blushedagain. I took her hand and led her to the table. "Are you hungry? Ella brought breakfast down."

"I could probably eat a little bit, but I'm not feeling like my normal self." I nodded my understanding. She ate a pancake and a little bit of fruit. When she was finished I took her over to the couch. I wanted to ask her something important.

"Kat, this may seem like an odd question, but; how do you know it wasn't me that spiked your drink?" She looked thoughtful for a moment, then she looked me in the eye.

"I'm not really sure how to explain this. The first time I laid eyes on you, it was like there was an instant connection. There was definitely attraction, but there was an unexplainable connection. I still can't put it into words. You have been so kind and caring. You also haven't tried to get me straight into bed. But more importantly, I trust you completely and I feel safe when I'm with you. I know I probably sounds crazy as hell, but that's the only way I can describe it." My heart swelled. I smiled.

"No, you don't sound crazy. You sound like Steph talking about Ranger." I thought about that statement for a minute. There's no way this could be like that, could it? I'm not exactly eager to get my heart broken again. But like her, I felt an instant connection with her as well.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously. I wasn't real sure how I was going to explain this.

"Well, Steph and my boss Ranger are together now, but it took them years to get there. They always had this connection and draw to each other; but they both faught it tooth and nail. They were both scared for many different reasons, but now that they are together, they are both happier than I've ever seen them." I had to smile thinking about them. I used to hope that maybe someday I'd find someone too. Kat's next question caught me off guard.

"What about you? Do you feel anything at all for me?" It looked like there was hope in her eyes. I swallowed.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." She looked down, then back up at me.

"But..." She knew there was a 'but' in there.

"But, I just recently went through a rough breakup, and it's left me a little raw. Truthfully, you're the first woman that's caught my attention since then. I feel a connection to you as well, but I guess I'm kind of gun shy now." She put her hand on my face and leaned up to give me a gently kiss.

"Well, we can take this slow. I'm not going anywhere." She gave me a sweet smile, and I couldn't help the flip my stomach did. But it also reminded me that last night, someone could have gotten to her.

"Kat, do you know of anyone who would have wanted to hurt you?" She furrowed her brow.

"That's the thing I can't figure out. I can't think of anyone who would want to drug me. I don't have any enemies that I know of. You know I don't do drugs. It was probably just a mistake. Maybe someone made it into the party that wasn't invited or something." I just nodded. I really didn't want to freak her out.

"All the same, Ranger wants us to keep a special eye on you for awhile." She got a wicked smile on her face.

"Just how special? And whose eyes?" I grinned.

"Do you have a preference?"

"Hmmmmm. Someone who is special enough to take care of and protect me when I'm vulnerable, and someone with gorgeous ice blue eyes." I grinned bigger.

"That sounds a bit like me." She chuckled.

"A girl's got ta have her standards." Then she winked. I knew she wasn't

scheduled to perform again for a few days, so I decided to dig deep for somecourage.

"Kat, would like to go out with me tomorrow night?" I was relieved to see her smile.  
"I never thought you'd ask! I would love to go out with you tomorrow!" I smiled.  
"Where would you like to go?" She looked thoughtful.  
"This may sound weird, but there's a pizza place that has THE best pizza." I was expecting her to say Pino's. "I don't know if you know about it, it's called Shorty's." My jaw dropped. "What's wrong Ram?" I got myself together.  
"We love that place! But it's kind of a rough crowd, how do you know about it." She laughed.  
"We were doing a show somewhere near there, and we were starving afterwords, and we stopped in there. Shorty was so sweet to me. I go there all the time now. I've never had a problem." I smiled. This woman was full of surprises.  
"Ok. Shorty's it is." I had a date with Kat.


	4. Chapter 4

I took Kat to Shorty's like she wanted and we had a great time eating and talking. Shorty adores her. I found out he's like a father to her. Her parents died in a car crash ten years ago and she doesn't have any family. I told her that she did now. I told her that Rangeman was her family. When we were finished eating, I took her to see a movie and then drove back to her place. We had agreed to take this slow, so I gave her a kiss goodnight and drove back to my apartment at Rangeman. The whole way back I kept thinking about how I'd never felt like this about any other woman in my whole life. I'm no Santos, but I've been with my share of women, and not one of them comes close to comparing to Kat. I just don't want to get hurt again if I open myself up completely, and Kat has the power to crush me.

A few weeks had gone by and the club schedule had finally been worked out. Kat and I were still dating, so I worked when she performed and was off when she was. It worked out perfectly. Everyone was getting to know her even better and they all think she's great; I just hope they don't love her too much. Kat and Steph became fast friends. They loved going shopping together, and Steph had a lot of fun helping Kat choose clothes for performing. Kat is actually bringing Steph out of her shell a little more and making her a little more confident. Kat even got Steph to come up on stage and sing a few songs with her; of course she was three sheets to the wind, but she had fun. It turns out, Steph has a pretty good voice too. Kat told me she was going to ask Steph if she would help out on some songs that she can't really sing, because she needs a back up singer. Things were actually going really well.

It was Friday evening and Tim, the owner of the club, called Rangeman and asked if we could come in early because he had something he wanted to discuss with us. He even requested Ranger's presence. We all arrived and entered Tim's office.

"You wanted to see us?" Ranger asked.

"Yes. Thank you for coming in early. I wanted to talk to you guys about some letters I received here. They are about Kat." I immediately looked up and my eyes narrowed.

"What letters about Kat?" He looked at me, but handed the letters to Ranger.

"I don't know if they are from some crazed fan, or from an obssessed lunatic, but I want to make sure she's protected. I spoke to her manager, Jake, and he said that she's received letters like this before. He said she prefers not to know about them because she doesn't want to be freaked out by them." I thought to myself that that didn't sound like Kat. She likes to be in charge of her life. "He said nothing has ever happened, but like I said, I just want to make sure she's taken care of." I appreciated him letting us know about it. Ranger echoed that sentiment.

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention Mr. Jensen. We'll take these letters and see if we can get anything from them. I'll also start scheduling more security, but it's too late tonight." Tim nodded.

"I understand. I appreciate your attention to this. She should be getting here soon and I was going to talk to her about adding another day to her performance schedule. Everyone loves her. This is actually the most popular club now, and I think a lot of that has to do with her. I'm also increasing her salary per show. She earns it." I smiled to myself, that's my girl.

When we filed out of Tim's office, Kat and the band were just coming through the back door. She grinned when she saw me, and took off running towards me. She jumped into my waiting arms and I kissed her. I could hear the guys whistle and holler. She rolled her eyes.

"Jealous much guys?" I laughed at Santos's reply.

"Hell yeah! How about some sugar for me?" He put his arms out, closed his eyes, and puckered up his lips. Kat winked at me and went to the bar and got a cherry out of the dish. She brought it over and stook in front of Lester.

"Ok, part your lips a little bit for me baby." His eyebrows shot up and he parted his lips. She took the cherry and shoved it in his mouth.

"That's all the sugar you're getting from me, stud." Everyone laughed. Then Lester pulled the stem off and handed it to her.

"I'll take it for now, but you don't know what you're missing." Then he wiggled his eyebrows. God I hate when he does that. Kat popped the cherry stem in her mouth, and it looked like she was chewing on it. When she pulled it out, there were two perfect knots tied in the stem. She handed it to Lester.

"I'll take my chances." Lester's jaw dropped to the floor and everyone was in hysterics. Then she walked over to me and put her arms around my neck and kissed me again.

"I've got to go finish getting ready, but I'll be done soon." I just nodded to her. The bass player came up behind her and nodded to me.

"Hey Kat, there's something in your dressing room for you."

"Ok, thanks Mike. I'll be back soon sugar." And she turned to go to the dressing room.

We were all gathered around talking and joking, when we heard a blood curdling scream come from the dressing room. I was the first one down the hall and I saw Kat take off out of the room and into the ladies room. When we walked into the dressing room. There were tarantulas crawling out of a flower box. I looked to Ranger.

"Ram, go find her. Make sure she's ok. We'll get things under control in here. I don't think Tim can open the club tonight now. I doubt she took the time to count how many there were, so an exterminator will have to come and check the club out. I'll go talk to Tim." I nodded and went to go find Kat.

I knocked on the door, but she didn't answer. I opened the door but the restroom was empty. I checked the bar, but she wasn't there. I looked out front and went around the entire building, but she was no where. I was starting to panic a little. I went back in to tell everyone she was missing. One of her bandmates asked if I looked out back. I told him I had gone around the entire builing. He told me to check again. I got everyone together and we walked out back. Kat was standing out there smoking a cigarette. She looked up at us with tears in her eyes.

"I don't want to hear any shit from anybody about me smoking a cigarette. I just opened a box, which I thought would have flowers in it, but instead it was full of tarantulas. I'm a little fuckin freaked out right now." I could see her shaking. I came down the stairs and looked at her.

"Kitten, it's ok. No one is going to say anything. We just want to make sure you're going to be ok." She took a drag off her cigarette and exhaled.

"I just need to calm down. My nerves are completely rattled right now." She finished her smoke and put it out. I walked up to her and wrapped her in my arms. She broke down and started to cry. When she was done, I let her go.

"Thank you Ram. You're always here when I need you." She smiled at me and hugged me again. Ranger cleared his throat.

"Kat, Tim isn't going to be able to open the club tonight, so you don't have to worry about performing. I seriously think it would be best if you came back and stayed at Rangeman for a little while. Until we know who is doing this and why, it's not safe for you to stay by yourself at your place."

"Are you sure that's really necessary?" Ranger and I both nodded.

"There's room at my place gorgeous." Lester wiggled his eyebrows.

"Knock it off Santos!" I looked at Kat and tucked a curl behind her ear. "You can stay with me if you want, Kitten. I can sleep on the couch." She smiled at me and whispered.

"I'll stay with you, but you won't be staying on the couch." I smiled.

We left the club and went to her house so she could pick up everything she needed. She packed everyday clothes, and then she packed performance outfits. When she was finished packing I loaded everything into the SUV and we took off for Rangeman. When we arrived her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller id and rolled her eyes.

"Hi Jake. I was going to call you once I got settled. I'm fine now. That's not necessary. But...no. Look Jake, I just really want to relax right now. Fine. I'll see you in a bit." She disconnected and looked defeated.

"What's going on Kitten?" She looked to me.

"That was Jake. I guess he went to the club and Tim told him what happened. Now he's hell bent on coming over here to make sure I'm ok. He'll be here in 10 minutes." My jaw tightened.

"Ok, I'll let Ranger know after I take your stuff up." She nodded. I didn't like Jake, and this was pissing me off.  
When we made it up to the apartment I called Ranger and let him know about the phone call. He got everyone together and we were waiting for Jake to arrive in the smaller conference room on the first floor. Jake was shown in and he immediately went to Kat and pulled her into a tight hug. I wanted to rip his arms off. There was just something that was off about it. The hug seemed to be way more than just a professional or concerned hug.

"Kat, I was so worried about you. Why didn't you call me?" Jake demanded.

"I told you, I'm fine now. I was going to call you when I got settled here." Jake looked at all of us.

"Thank you for offering to put her up, but she'll stay with me. I'll keep her safe." His hands had not left her body, and I was sensing she was a little uncomfortable. I stepped forward and pulled her to me.

"Kat agreed to stay here with Ram. We can protect her much better here." When Ranger told him that she was staying with me I thought I saw a flash of anger in his eyes.

"Kat sweetheart, I really don't think you'll be comfortable here with all of these men around. Just come back to my house with me where you can relax and not be bothered." Kat looked at him.

"Thanks Jake, but I've already got all of my stuff here. I'll be perfectly safe here, don't worry." He pursed his lips together.

"Katarina, I will not have you staying in a building full of dangerous men like them. How do you know that one of them isn't responsible for all of this? These things didn't start happening until they appeared." Kat looked like she was getting angry.

"Jake, you have been good to me, but you are treading on very thin ice right now. These are the best Men I've ever had the privilege to know. I consider them part of my family...my only family, and I will protect and stand up for them as such. I don't ever want to hear you say another negative word about any of them. Now I'm tired. I just want to go upstairs with my boyfriend and rest. You can leave now and I will call you tomorrow." My chest puffed up with every word she said. When she called me her boyfriend, I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. Jake tried to make one last ditch effort.

"Kat, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it, I'm just worried about you. Please come stay with me so I can make certain you're alright?" Ranger'd had enough.

"Kat has voiced her intentions. She wants to stay here. End of discussion. Hector, will you show Jake out?" Hector nodded with a grin and grabbed Jake by his upper arm and forcibly led him out of the conference room. When he was gone, everyone clapped and cheered. Kat looked around at everyone puzzled.

"What's that all about?" Tank grinned.

"People don't defend us like that little one. Most people just look at us and see bad men, thugs, and what have you. Very few actually see 'us'. That's just one of the things that makes both you and Steph so special." Kat blushed.

"Well, he was being a prick! I had to set him straight, because I really do consider you guys my family, and no one messes with my family." Everyone hugged and kissed her, and we all filed out of the room and went our separate ways.

Kat and I went up to the apartment to get ready for bed. When I came into the bedroom, she was laying there already asleep. She really was exhausted. I carefully climed into bed and pulled her to me. She settled her head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. As I was falling asleep, I thought about how easily I could get used to this.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up the next morning just before my alarm was supposed to go off. I reached over and turned it off, and looked down at the gorgeous beauty in my arms. It was as if we were both so comfortable, neither of us moved all night. Her head was still on my chest and she had her left leg and arm draped over me. I was beginning to try and untangle us, when she laced her fingers with mine. When I looked down again, I was looking into her hypnotic eyes, and couldn't help the feelling that I was also gazing into my future.

"Go back to sleep Kitten, it's still very early."

"Where are you going this early honey?" It felt like there were butterflies in my stomach when she called me 'honey'.

"Most of us get up this early to go down and do a morning workout." I kissed the tip of her nose. "I'll be back in about an hour." She didn't let go of my hand.

"Let me throw on my workout clothes and I'll join you, if that's ok." I smiled.

"Of course it's ok. I didn't know you worked out." She giggled.

"What, you think I naturally look like this?" I chuckled. "Besides, you think I'd pass up a chance to see a gym full of hot sweaty guys working out?" I growled, and she giggled again. She was teasing me. She started to stretch, and I swear she looked like a cat when she did. She went to the bathroom to change her clothes. When she came out she was wearing a tight, low cut sports top that also ony went down to her navel, and a pair of tight yoga pants. My dick twitched, and suddenly I thought of another way to get our workouts in.

"Kitten, if you walk in there looking like that, there is going to be a riot." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. Have you seen some of my stage outfits? They're big boys, I think they can handle it." She grabbed her yoga mat and a bottle of water out of the fridge and looked at me. "Are we ready to go?" All I could do was nod. I was trying to think of anything I could to keep my problem below the waste from 'growing'. I led her out of the apartment and she actually suggested the stairs, and I grinned. Once again she laced her fingers with mine and held my hand as we jogged down the stairs. When we walked into the gym, it instantly fell silent and all eyes were on us. I even heard some weights being dropped on the floor. I wasn't quite sure what to say, but Kat did.

"Hey guys. I'm sorry to crash your workouts, but I need to work out too. Is it ok if I stay?" I looked around and saw everyone just nod with their jaws on the floor. They were looking her up and down, and I wasn't liking it too much. I started to growl, when Tank clear his throat.

"Christ you guys! Get it together. At least act like you've been around women before. You've been in war zones, I think you can handle Kat working out with us." I saw Kat biting her lip.

"Maybe I should just come back later." Everyone shook their heads. Lester was the first to recover.

"Sorry gorgeous. We're just not used to seeing beautiful women in here this early. Steph doesn't get up until much later." Kat chuckled.

"Well, I'm not usually up this early either, but I woke up when Ram did and decided to come with him. You guys won't even know I'm here. Maybe I can talk Steph into doing yoga with me. It's actually great for flexibility, strength, stamina, all kinds of things really. I'm actually surprised you guys don't do it. But I guess you guys think it's pretty girly. But honestly, you guys might want to give it a shot. You'd be amazed at what the flexibility can do for fighting."

She walked over to a spot between the treadmills and sparring ring and rolled out her mat. I walked over to the treadmills to start a warm up jog, giving every guy a warning glare to not stare at my woman. I looked over at her every so often and saw her doing the different yoga poses. Her eyes were closed, and her body movements flowed so gracefully. She is amazing. I started to give yoga more credit. The next time I looked over, I saw all the guys crowded around her. I was getting steamed, until I also saw Ranger over there. Now I was curious; so I hopped off the treadmill and made my way over. When I got there, I saw what everyone was so enamored with. Kat was on her stomach, with her legs bent all the way up to her head and her feet were on either side of her head. Her eyes were still closed as she was breathing, but she sensed us there.

"See, I told you that yoga does wonders for flexibility." She looked so cute with her eyes closed and a grin on her face. She proeeded to bring her legs down and she layed spread eagle on her back. She lay like for a few minutes, then opened her eyes and got up. Ranger unfolded his arms and clapped a few times.

"Kat, that was damn impressive. How long have you been doing yoga?" She smiled.

"About three years, give or take." She opened her water and took a few sips.

"Would you mind instructing some of my men, if they choose to explore yoga?" She lit up.

"Not at all. I'd love too! It would be a way for me to pay all of you back for letting me stay here." Ranger shook his head.

"You don't owe us anything Kat. We were first hired to help protect you and the club. We've all come to know you and care about you. We protect you because we want to." Everyone echoed the sentiment. She smiled.

"Thank you Ranger, and everyone. That means a lot to me." She went around and gave each and everyone of my friends/coworkers/family a hug and kiss on the cheek. This woman is so wonderful and has such a huge heart. I hope there is room in there for me...all of me...the good, the bad, and the ugly things I've had to do. I was brought out of my thoughts when Kat put her hand on my arm.

"Deep thoughts sweetie?" I looked down at her and smiled.

"Just thinking about what a big heart you have and how accepting you are of all of us." She smiled and then furrowed her brow.

"I have no idea why people look at you guys the way they do. They can't see past their own noses to see what wonderfully amazing people you are." Then she smiled again. "But that's just their loss, and me and Steph's gain." And she put her arms around me and gave me a sweet little peck on the lips. Lester just had to break the moment.

"Ok you two, take it upstairs." I glared at him and Kat buried her head in my chest and laughed. If they both only knew what I wanted to take her upstairs and do, they'd both be blushing. Everyone returned to their work out and Kat got on the treadmill to do a jog. She looked so sexy with that thin sheen of sweat on her body. I needed to get back to MY workout, before I embarrassed myself.

We both finished up about the same time. I told Kat to go ahead and go upstairs to shower and that I'd shower here in the locker room. She nodded and walked out the door. I finished quickly and when I got into the apartment, I could hear Kat singing in the shower. I walked over to the door to listen. She was singing Skyfall, and my mind immediately went to the first time that I saw her, and I smiled. I wondered if love at first sight really does exist. I walked in the kitchen to make us breakfast. When she was finished and came out of the bathroom I had omlets on the table ready for us. She looked at me and smiled.

"You cooked?" I nodded. She inhaled deeply. "It smells wonderful." I waited expectantly as she took a bite. "MMMMM, oh my God! this is terrific! Thank you." I grinned.

"You're very welcome. I'm glad you like it baby." She smiled and we ate in a companionable silence. When we were finished, she told me to sit and she went over and did the dishes real quick. I just can't help but think how natural all of this feels. I looked down at my watch and noticed I had to go to the morning meeting.

"Kitten, I have to go to the morning meeting now. I'll stop back in afterwards, ok?" She nodded and got a cute little smirk on her face.

"Ok dear. Have a great day." She came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I stuck my tongue out at her, and her smirk turned into a wicked grin. "You better keep that in your mouth unless you plan to use it...on me." Heaven help me. My dick twitched and I grabbed her and gave her a real kiss. When I pulled back we were both breathless.

"Ok, I really have to go now. I'll be back later." She nodded and I kissed her on the head and walked out the door. As I headed up the stairs, I thought, this woman's going to be the death of me...but what a way to go.  
When I walked into the conference room for the meeting, I instantly got a bad feeling in my gut. Everyone looked at me with grim expressions. I furrowed my brow, but took my seat. Ranger took charge of the meeting.

"Morning gentlemen. I got the preliminary report back on the tarantuals. The poison they inject is a paralitic. They only have one poison sack, so generally, it's not fatal. But in large doses, it can paralyze the entire nervous system; shutting down the lungs and heart. Only one of the tarantuals had the poison sack, so it's more likely that who ever did this only wanted Kat freaked out or incapacitated." I clenched my fists together and worked my jaw. What the hell was going on? What did this person want with or from her? I had more questions.

"Are we any closer to finding out who this is?" I looked at Ranger, hopeful.

"Unfortunately, we are not. There are no pet stores that even carry that type of tarantula, so that's a dead end. Don't worry Ram, we'll find out who's doing this and put a stop to it. In the mean time, I want a two guard detail on Kat at all times when she leaves the building. I already called Steph and asked her to bring Kat in." I nodded once. About that time, in bounced Stephanie and Kat. Kat looked around at everyone.

"Why do you guys look like your dog just ran away?" I tried to manage a small smile.

"What are your plans for today?" She smiled wide.

"Steph and I are going shopping. She suggested retail therapy, and I thought it was a brilliant idea!" She giggled. I heard Ranger's voice over my shoulder.

"Kat, we are putting a two guard detail on you anytime you are out of the building." She furrowed her brow.

"Is that really necessary?" The look I gave Ranger said, 'I'll field this one'. I looked at Kat pleadingly.

"Yes it is. One of the tarantulas was poisonous. Until we find out who's doing this, and stop them, it's not safe for you to be alone. Please Kitten? For me?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Ok. But that was just dirty saying it like that." She stuck her tongue out at me. So I decided to remind her of what she said earlier.

"You better put that back in your mouth unless you plan to use it...on me." She gave me a wicked grin.

"Oh baby, I plan too." She licked her lips and my jaw dropped. Then she turned to Ranger like nothing happened and smiled.

"Ok, who's going to Victoria's Secret with us?" I turned and saw everyone raise their hands. I saw Ranger's lips twitch.

"Put your hands down. Babe, who do you want to take?" Steph answered.

"I'll take my usual. Lester and Hector." I was happy about Hector, but not too thrilled about Santos. I knew Santos would control himself with Steph, but with Kat, I wasn't so sure.

"We'll wait outside until the meeting is over." Steph and Kat walked out the Ranger dismissed us, Lester put his hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him.

"Don't freak out Ram. I know she's your girl. I'll take care of her." He actually looked serious.

"Thanks man. She means a lot to me." He grinned.

"I've noticed. I've never seen you this hot for some chick."

"I guess that's the thing. She's not just some chick to me." I looked around.

"We haven't even slept together yet." Lester's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"She's been in your bed twice, you guys have been dating for the last month or more. What's the problem?" I glared at him.

"You know the shit I went through with Karen." He frowned and nodded. "I was a little gun shy when we first started dating, but now, I want it to be something special. I want it to mean as much to her as it does to me." He looked at me for a moment. "What are you looking at Santos?" He got a big goofey grin on his face.

"You're in love with her, aren't you bro?" I looked at him dumbfounded. Was I in love with her? This certainly felt different from any other relationship I'd been in. When I thought about her, I knew my answer, and I didn't hesitate.

"Yeah, I am." He smiled at me and I smiled back.

"I'll keep your secret."

"Thanks man. Just keep an eye on her."

"Will do." We walked out of the conference room together. Kat turned and looked at us.

"There's something different about you two. You seem...closer. Are you dumping me for Lester?" She smirked. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her.

"Never." I bent my head and gave her a searing kiss. When I pulled back, she had a glazed look in her eyes. Lester being Lester, had to break the moment.

"Man, I thought we had something special. This hurts me. I don't know how I will go on." He feigned hurt and tilted his head back and brought the back of his hand to his forhead in a dramatic fashion. We ALL rolled our eyes and laughed.

After Ranger and I said goodbye to our women, Steph took Hector's arm and Kat took Lester's. They walked to the elevator and waved goodbye to us. When the doors closed, Ranger clapped me on the back.

"Congratulations Ram. She's a special woman. Treat her right, and you won't have any problems from any of us." The corner of his mouth was turned up into a half grin.

"I know she is. I plan on treating her like a queen, for as long as she'll have me." He smiled a full smile and gave me a nod.

I had been sitting at the monitors for a couple of hours. I had noticed that the SUV was still parked at the mall. I will never understand how women can spend so much time shopping. I got up to get Cal and I bottles of water. When I returned, I sat down and scanned the monitors. I was looking at the fleet monitor when I saw the SUV at the mall go offline. My heart jumped up into my throat. Cal and I sent out the standard texts set up for whenever Steph goes offline. Ranger came storming out of his office.

"Tank, Brown; you take one SUV. Ram...you're with me." I was surprised, but nodded once.

We got down to the garage and took off towards the mall. I was extremely tense. She better be ok.

"She'll be ok Ram. You know that two of our best guys are with them." Again, all I could do was nod. The lump in my throat wouldn't budge. We got to the mall and followed the smoke billowing up into the sky. It wasn't until we came careening around the corner and saw...no one, that I actually felt tears start to well up in my eyes. As soon as Ranger slowed the car down enough, I jumped out and headed towards the car. The flames were intensely hot, but I had to see if she was in there. I couldn't tell through all the flames, but I don't think I saw anyone in there. I was pacing around the vehicle screaming her name. Ranger had to stop me from getting any closer.

"RAM! Get ahold of yourself! You aren't going to be any good to her if you end up getting hurt." Just then my phone started vibrating. It was Lester.  
"Where is she? Are they ok?...On our way." I looked at Ranger.  
"They are all on the west side. Hector and Lester carried them away from here. He said it looks like there are only minor injuries." We jumped back into the SUV and sped toward the west side of the mall. When we pulled up, I saw Kat and Steph sitting on a bench, looking a little dazed. I jumped out and sprinted to Kat. She looked up and saw me and started to run towards me as well. She jumped into my arms and I swung her around. I carried her back over to the bench. I looked every inch of her over. Lester stepped up to Ranger and I.

"I don't know what happened. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but when we were about 20 feet away from the car, it just exploded. Hector and I threw the girls to ground and shielded them from the subsequent explosions." I looked back at Kat and she seemed to be in a daze. I looked at Bobby and he got his little light out and shined it in her eyes. She finally blinked and shook her head.

"What the hell happened?" I looked at her and frowned.

"The SUV you guys were in exploded, causing the cars around it to explode as well." I placed my hand on the side of her face, and she snuggled into it. Bobby stood back and looked at all of us.

"Ok, both of you have various scrapes and cuts. Kat, you really need stitches above your eye and you both have very mild concussions. We need to get you guys back to Rangeman so I can clean you up." He looked at Ranger and I, and we nodded. Ranger placed Steph in the front with him, and I got in back holding Kat. She looked puzzled.

"Steph, why aren't you freaking out?" Steph snortted a little and rolled her eyes.

"I'm more used to this kind of thing than anyone should be. The majority of the cars that I've owned have been blown up. Although, it doesn't really happen anymore, now that I work at Rangeman." Kat was starting to sfhake a little bit, so I got a blanket from the back and wrapped it around her. She snuggled into my chest and slowly stopped shaking. I just kept thinking about how close I came to losing her, and she doesn't even know that I love her.

When we got back to Rangeman, we took the girls to the infirmary and let Bobby get to work. Ranger and I stepped outside to talk to hector and Lester. Lester looked at me.

"Before I forget, something happened at the mall. While we were outside Victoria's Secret, your ex Karen came up to me and told me to tell you 'hello, she missed you, and for you to call her immediately'. She was pretty insistent." I furrowed my brow.

"What the fuck is she thinking? Has she lost her mind? I've got Kat, and even if I didn't, I respect myself enough not to even think about getting back with her." Everyone gave me a proud nod. They know how bad she hurt me, but being with Kat has shown me that I shouldn't have allowed her shallowness and spiteful words to hurt me. Kat has shown me that I just might be a man who deserves to be loved by a beautiful woman, and wonderful person. Kat is the only one I want it to be.


	6. Chapter 6

Warning! SMUT in this chapter, for my TartLover! Thank you all for the reviews, they really encourage me. Same disclaimers apply

When Bobby was finished patching the girls up, I took Kat up to the apartment and drew her a nice warm bath. I layed out some yoga pants and one of my tshirts for her on the bed. I told her I would be back as soon as I checked in with Ranger to see if they found anything out about the bomb. I kissed her and walked out the door. I had just reached the fifth floor when Ranger sent me a text asking me to come to his office. I knocked.

"Enter." I opened the door and saw Tank, Bobby, Lester, and Hector in there with Ranger.

"You wanted to see me boss?" He motioned to a chair.

"Take a seat. We have some preliminary information on the bomb from Morelli." I sat down and Tank started talking.

"There was a remote detonator used. Who ever did this, was there, and was watching you guys." I furrowed my brow.

"What the hell do they want? What is their ultimate goal?" Ranger gave me a long look.

"Kat." I stiffened when he said her name. If they want Kat, they are going to have to go through me and a lot of other Rangemen first.

"So what's the plan?" I had to know what Ranger was thinking.

"We work every angle we possibly can, until we come up with something. In the mean time, I'm ordering a four person guard detail on her now. She's very independent like Steph, so we can't keep her locked up. I also want to increase security at her shows at the club. We may need to bring in contract workers on those days to work the monitors. I want to keep our best guys on this. We'll protect her Ram." I nodded at him. "Everyone except Ram, dismissed." I watched everyone file out of the room.

"Ram, I want to talk to you about today."

"I'm sorry I lost control. It won't happen again," Ranger's look softened just a little.

"I'm talking to you as your friend, not your boss. You love her." It was a statement, not a question; so I nodded. "Can I give you some advice?" I nodded again. "Once you finally find that special woman, you do everything in your power to keep her." I furrowed my brow.

"How do you handle it when it's Steph?" The corner of his mouth twitched.

"I make her understand that she's my whole world. Now, that talk usually happens after some incredible sex, but you get the general idea. I know what happened with Karen, and that you're taking this slow. Just don't wait too long to tell her and show her how you feel. I wasted so many years that I could've spent with Steph. I've informed everyone that you and I are offline until tomorrow evening. Go be with your woman." I nodded.

"Thank you Ranger." He nodded to me and I walked out the door. I headed towards the stairs to go to my apartment, when Santos stopped me.

"Man, I'm sorry about what happened today." I nodded and clapped him on the back.

"There's no way you could've known. Thanks for keeping her from getting hurt any worse." He nodded to me.

"Anytime bro. If either of you need anything, you just call and I'm there. I really do like her, and I'm happy for the both of you. I know I joke around a lot, but I see how happy you guys are together. She treats you well, and you deserve it. If you hurt her, I'm taking you to the mats though. Now go make your woman truly yours already." He gave me a knowing smile and I nodded; then I headed for my place again.

When I finally reached my apartment, I was NOT expecting what I found. When I walked in and closed the door, I saw Kat come out of the bedroom wearing just my shirt. I had no idea if she had anything on underneath, but seeing her wearing MY shirt made something in me snap. She looked so hot and sexy. I no longer wanted to take anything slow, I wanted to take it hard and fast. The animal in me was coming out, and he was on a mission...to pleasure and love my woman in every way possible.

She got a sexy grin on her face, looked me up and down and licked her lips. It looked like she might be having some of the same thoughts as me. I decided to just go for it. I took my utility belt off and layed it on the table. I stalked towards her and put one hand behind her neck and brought my lips crashing down on hers. My other hand slid down her thigh and brought her leg up. She moaned into my mouth and my cock twitched. When we broke apart for oxygen, she put her hands on my chest and looked up at me.

"Welcome home Ram." I looked into her eyes.

"When we are together like this, I want you to call me Collin." She looked at me and nodded. "Are you ready for this?" She broke out into a huge smile.

"I've been ready for this for a few weeks now...Collin." When she said my name I involuntarily closed my eyes and growled. I had never asked a woman to call me by my given name. Hearing her say my name turned me on more than I can say. She gave me a little nudge back, and slowly lifted my shirt up over her head, and she threw it back in the bedroom. What I saw standing before me took my breath away. My dick was even harder than it was before. She was standing before me in a beautiful deep blue and black laced bra and panty set. I hope she didn't spend a lot on it, because I wanted to rip it from her body with my teeth.

"Is this new?" She smiled.

"Yes it is. I got it today. Do you like?" She got a playful smile and started posing. I showed her my wolf grin.

"Oh yeah. I like A LOT."

"Hmmmmm. Just how much do you like it?" She was teasing me now, so I backed her up against the wall and gave her a searing kiss. When I pulled away she was panting. "Don't stop." She begged me. I had no intentions of stopping. I toed my boots off quickly and she ripped my shirt up over my head. She splayed her hands over my bare chest and it felt like I was on fire. I've never needed a woman like I need Kat. She started kissing me and then worked her way down my jaw and my neck. I took her hands and pinned them above her head with my left hand. Her eyes widened and she started panting again. I lowered my head and started kissing down her throat. She leaned her head back to give me better access, and I took full advantage of it and marked her as mine. She had a sharp intake of breath when I first bit down and sucked her skin into my mouth, but moaned as I ran my tongue over the spot to sooth it. I worked my way farther down to her perfect breasts. I moved the offending material aside and took one of her perfect nipples in my mouth. She breathed in sharply and arched her back towards me, as I paid equal attention to the other breast.

When I was finished, my lips found hers again. This was a passionate, hungry kiss. When she nibbled on my bottom lip, I couldn't stop the growl that escaped my throat. My right hand trailed down past her navel and ghosted over her covered mound. I could feel how wet she was already, and the smell of her arousal spurred me on. I slipped my hand down the front of her panties and just grazed her clit with all of my fingers and she squeeked. She bit my lip a little harder and I plunged three fingers into her waiting core. She pulled back and moaned loudly. I started pumping my fingers in and out of her, and her breathing was getting heavier and heavier; with a few pleas to God in between. When I knew she was close, I curled my fingers and rubbed her clit with my thumb. She screamed my name, and I lost all control.  
I unfastened my pants and they pooled to the floor. I ripped her panties off and lifted her up onto my cock. She wrapped her luscious legs around me and I was buried to the hilt in one swift stroke. She screamed my name again, and dug her nails into my back, as I started to pound into her. She looked me in the eyes.

"Please don't stop...oh God...please don't ever stop...harrrder." I was slamming into her even harder, and she was loving every minute of it.

"I'll never stop Kitten. Not as long as you want me."

"Collin, I'm gonna cum." When she said my name, I knew I was going to cum too.

"Cum with me Kitten." We both shattered and screamed each other's name in ecstasy. I carried her to the bed, and we curled up together.

"Sorry Kitten. I'll make this up to you later. I didn't hurt you, did I?" I was kind of worried that I had.

"Not in the least. You made me feel better than I ever have." She laid her head on my chest, and I could tell she was falling asleep.

"You rest. I'm not going anywhere." I closed my eyes too and fell into a restful sleep.

I woke up a few hours later. I looked down at Kat, sleeping so peacefully in my arms. I smiled. I definitely am in love with this amazing creature. I was brought out of my reverie, when I saw her eyelids flutter open. I plan to wake up to those eyes for the rest of my life.

"I'm sorry if I woke you kitten." She smiled

"You didn't wake me. How long have you been watching me sleep?" She giggled, and I smirked.

"Only a few minutes." She nodded.

"Aaaaaaaand, what have you been thinking about?" I shrugged and tucked a curl behind her ear. I ran my index finger down her face."Just about how lucky I am that you're with me." She smiled and put her hand on my face.

"There's no one else I want to be with." I knew now was the time to tell her.

"Kitten, there's something that I need to tell you." She looked me in the eyes, and I saw different emotions swimming in her eyes. "I am completely, no holds barred, forever...in love with you." I watched her for a moment, and then a huge smile crossed her mouth.

"And I'm irrevocably in love with you Collin." My heart felt like it was going to burst with emotion. I bent down and kissed her with all of the love and passion that I felt for her, as she returned the sentiment in her kiss. We stayed in bed the rest of the night, continuously showing each other how much we loved one another. It was like nothing I've ever experienced. We didn't just come together in love, we joined our souls that night, and I have never had such a feeling of joy or completion in my life. I discovered that home wasn't a place, but a feeling, and I had found my home in her.


	7. Chapter 7

The next week seemed to fly by. Kat fit in so well at Rangeman. She loved hanging out with guys watching baseball, playing war games, and playing poker with them. She was holding her own and kicking some ass. I was so proud of her and so happy that she seemed to fit in so well with my lifestyle and my friends. The guys and Steph just adore her. Steph just loves having another female around, besides Ella. She has someone in the building that she can relate to. Most of the guys have adopted her as another little sister. I still think some of them may love her in a not so sisterly way, but I can't blame them. They do respect our relationship thought. She is so flexible and understanding about everything, it amazes me. I have got to be the luckiest guy on the planet.

Friday evening rolled around and we were at the club. It was packed an hour before Kat was even supposed to go on. Ranger actually called Zip and Zero to come in because there were so many people. When Kat came out, the crowd errupted, and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. That was MY girl up there. Everyone wanted her, and she was mine. She looked up and gave me a quick wink like she always did before she started the show. I winked back and mouthed 'I Love You'; she nodded and smiled. The night was going smoothly, with the exception of a couple of drunks needing to be thrown out, but that wasn't uncommon. Kat was finally in the middle of her last set, when one of her band mates took over the singing. These were built in breaks for Kat incase she needed water or a bathroom break. Lester said she was just going to ladies room.

Kat took the stage again, but was talking to the band. She came to the microphone and started talking.

"This is a dedication to Karen, her guy, and their new addition. Congratulations you two." She smiled big and began singing With Arms Wide Open by Creed. Her announcement for the happy couple made me wonder what our child might look like. I know I had a huge smile on my face, until I heard that voice.

"You never called me Ram." I turned to see Karen standing there smiling at me.

"What do you want Karen?" She looked down, then up to me.

"Look, I know I hurt you, but would you please dance with me? There's something of extreme importance that I need to talk to you about." The song was already almost over, so I let her lead me to the dance floor. I figured the sooner I got this over with the better.

"So what's this all about? Why do you need to talk to me?" She looked up at me, and then away.

"I'm pregnant." I couldn't stop what came out next.

"So who's the unlucky bastard?" I immediately felt bad when she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I'm dancing with him." My jaw dropped to floor. "I only said all of those things to you when we broke up because I thought you'd hate me. My friends finally convinced me that I needed to tell you. I'm so sorry I said all of those things to you, I didn't mean any of it."

I instantly looked up at Kat on stage and realization hit us at the same time I think. The announcement was about me, Karen, and our baby. Baby. Baby. Karen was pregnant with my child. I'm in love with Kat. I saw the look of horror on Kat's face when she saw Karen and I dancing together. She handing the mic to the keyboard player and she ran off the stage. I wanted to go after her, but I was rooted in place. It was like the room was spinning. Karen squeezed my hand.

"Are you going to say anything?" I saw a tear roll down her face, and I wiped it away.

"I would never have hated you for being pregnant with my child. But things have changed. I'm sorry, but I need time to adjust to this." She nodded.

"I understand." She sniffled. Then grabbed her stomach. I immediately put my arms around her.

"Are you ok? Is it the baby?" She nodded.

"The doctor says it's because of stress. She told me I need to avoid as much stress as possible." I nodded and picked her up and started to carry her out of the club.

"I'll take you home." She nodded into my chest.

"Thank you Ram." The pull I felt back to the club was so strong, it took every ounce of strength I had to walk away and take care of Karen. She's pregnant with my child, but Kat is the love of my life. Everytime I blink, all I can see is the look of hurt and betrayal on Kat's face. How in the hell can I ever fix this? Is it even fixable, or have I just lost the greatest thing that's ever happened to me?

LPOV

I saw Kat come out of the ladies room and we waved at each other. She had a big smile on her face as she ran back up on stage. After she made that dedication, I got a bad feeling in my gut, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. When I saw her hand off the mic and run off stage, I followed her to the dressing room. I knocked on the door.

"Kat? Are you ok?" I heard sniffling on the other side of the door. By then Ranger and Steph were at the door too. Ranger looked at me with sad eyes and Steph had tears in hers.

"Where the hell is Ram?" I asked with anger. Ranger shook his head.

"He's taking Karen home. I gather that the announcement was for him. I saw her grab her stomach and he carried her out of the club." SHIT! What the fuck is happening. I knocked on the door once more.

"Kat, sweetheart, can we come in?" I heard the lock tumble, and the door opened. Kat grabbed her bag and turned to look at us. Tears still streaming down her face.

"That woman Ram was dancing with, Karen? Is she his ex?" We all looked at her sadly and nodded. "Well, she's pregnant with his baby." She hand me an envelope. "Can you please give him this?" I nodded.

"Of course. But, what are you doing.?" She started digging for her keys. I could see her shaking.

"I'm going to stay at my manager's house. I already spoke to him. I just need to find my GODDAMNED KEYS." I put my arm around her shoulders and she sobbed into my chest.

"Shhhhhhhhh. It's ok Kat. Let me drive you to your manager's house. We can get all of this worked out in the morning." She looked up at me and the look on her face broke my heart.

"There's nothing to work out Lester. I'm letting him go." She turned to walked out the door, but stumbled. I caught her and picked her up. I nodded to Ranger and Steph, and carried Kat out of the club and to the SUV. She was silent for the whole drive. All she did was look out the window as the tears continued to fall from her eyes. It was tearing me up to see her like this. I wanted to make her pain go away. I wanted to make Karen go away. This is not how this was supposed to be. When we pulled up to her manager's house, I turned to her.

"Are you sure you want to stay here sweetheart?" She shook her head.

"No, but I just can't go back to Rangeman right now. I'll be fine for a few days, until I figure something else out." I nodded.

"Kat, none of this changes how any of us feel about you. You are still a part of our family. We all love you. I hope you understand that." She nodded weakly. "I want you to call me anytime, day or night, if you need anything at all. Even if it's someone to cry to or scream at, I'm here for you, ok?" She nodded.

"Thank you Les, that means a lot to me." We got out and I walked her up to the door. Her manager opened it and gave her a hug. She turned to me and gave me a big hug. "Thanks again for everything Les. I'll talk to you later." She gave me a small kiss and disappeared behind the door. As I walked back out to the SUV, I was conflicted about how I was going to handle Ram. On one hand, this obviously happened before Kat, on the other hand, he hurt Kat. The more I thought about the tortured look on her face, the more I wanted to fuck his up. When I pulled into the garage, I decided to wait for Ram to get back.

Ram POV

After I finally got Karen settled at her house, I headed back towards Rangeman. Ranger had texted me to come straight back. I needed to talk to Kat anyway, I just had no idea what I was going to say. Hell, I was still in shock over everything that had happened tonight. Honestly, all I wanted was to wrap my arms around Kat, and for her to wrap hers around me and tell me that things were ok between us. When I pulled into the garage, I saw Santos leaning against the SUV. This time, I really wasn't in the mood to be fucked with. I got out and started walking toward the elevator.

"I'm seriously not in the mood Santos. I need to find Kat." He walked right up to me and knocked me on my ass. Then he threw an envelope down on me.

"Good luck with that fucker." I watched him turn and walk straight to the stairs and disappear. What the fuck? What was that for and why did he say good luck? I shook off the punch, and took the elevator to my apartment. When I walked in, it felt cold and lonely.

"Kat? Kitten, where are you? I need to talk to you about something." I looked everywhere and couldn't find her. I called Santos.

"What." I knew he was pissed.

"Where's Kat? She's not here, she's not answering her cell or responding to any texts." I heard him snort on the other end.

"Did you honestly think she'd be waiting here 'With Arms Wide Open', you dumb fuck? Open the envelope I gave you." He disconnected. His little jab hurt way more than I'll ever admit. I opened the envelope and went to the couch to read the letter.

_My dearest Collin,_

_I know you didn't do this on purpose; at least I hope you didn't. I'm guessing that she is your ex-girlfriend. I know it's a shock to you, as well as to me. I want you to know this is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I'm trying really hard to not be angry, but I can't stop the hurt I feel. I don't know ifI'll ever be able to stop the pain in my heart. I want you to know that I honestly loved you, well, I still do; but that doesn't matter anymore. I will always love you, and I know that you are a wonderful man; and you're going to be an amazing father. I'm letting you go to be with your new family, they are going to need you. I will love and miss you always. Don't ever forget how wonderfully special you are. Go and enjoy the next chapter of your life and the amazing experiences of being a father. I wish you all the best &hope everything goes well. You will forever be in my heart and soul. _  
_All my love,_  
_Katarina_

When I finished reading the letter, I lost it. I started throwing anything I could get my hands on. I started screaming, yelling, and cursing. I felt huge arms come around me. I realized Tank was holding me and Bobby was sticking a needle in my arm. I felt my eyes start to become heavy. The last thing I remembered saying was, "I lost her."

I woke up in my bed feeling aweful. I looked over to see Santos sitting next to my bed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He smirked.

"I was told to stay and keep an eye on you, in case you had anymore outbursts." I ran my hand down my face. It wasn't a nightmare; it was really my life. Kat was gone and I was having a baby with a woman I didn't love. "I'm also supposed to tell you that you're offline for the next few days." I shook my head.

"I've gotta work the club tonight." I got up to walk away, but Lester put his hand on my chest and shook his head.

"No. You're aren't working the club anymore." I shoved his hand away.

"Bullshit."

"Ranger's orders. You are not to go near that club or Kat, and you need to get your shit straightened out with that bitch." Lester had his 'don't fuck with me' look on his face, and I knew there was no point in arguing. But there were a few things he needed to know.

"Look Santos, I get that you're pissed off at me, but I didn't do this on purpose. I don't even know how it happened! She said she was on the pill, but I still used a condom every damn time with Karen. But, I guess it happened anyway. I guess we are one of those rare cases. I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around all of this. There is only one thing that I am certain of right now; I love Kat with all of my heart and soul. I get that Karen is having my child, but it doesn't change how I feel about Kat, and it never will. I wish there was a way to make her understand that." I saw Lester's expression soften.

"I'm sorry man. I know how much you two love each other. It's obvious to anyone who looks at you two. I wish there was something I could do to help." I nodded.

"Thanks man. I'm going to the gym to think." Les nodded.

"You need a sparring partner?" I smiled.

"Thanks, but I just want to be alone for a while." He nodded again.

"You need anything, give me a shout." I nodded once to him and he left the apartment.

When I got back to the apartment Lester was there again.

"What's going on?" He looked at me.

"I'm sorry man. I had hoped I'd be done before you got back. Kat called and asked me to get her stuff and bring it to her." I looked at the boxes, and all the empty space, since he had started packing. "I'm almost finished. I just have a few more things." As I watched him pack the last of her things, I felt myself die a little inside. All I wanted was for him to leave so I could cry in solitude. I never knew I could hurt this much.

The next few days dragged on. The only time I left the apartment was to go to the gym. I didn't want to see or talk to anyone. All I kept thinking about was Kat. Where was she? Was she alright? Who was she with? Did she miss me as much as I missed her?

LPOV  
I was sitting in my office and couldn't stop thinking about Kat and Ram. I see where they're both coming from. I hope that with a little bit of time, and maybe a little nudge from me, they can work everything out. The sound of the panic alarm ripped me from my thoughts. I looked down at my pager and saw that Kat's panic putton had been activated at her manager's house. FUCK! Me, Ranger, Bobby and Tank all rolled out. My only thought was; she better be ok.


	8. Chapter 8

LPOV

When we finally rolled up to the house we ran up to the front door that was wide open. We were hollering for Kat. I put my hand up when I thought I heard something.

"Lessstter?" Her voice sounded so small. I couldn't believe what I saw. The entire room was trashed. Kat's shirt and pants were ripped and torn in various places, and she had a busted lip and her cheek was starting bruise and swell. I ran right over to her, scooped her up into my arms, and put her across my lap.

"What happened sweetheart?" She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"JJJJaaake tttried ttto rrrape mmmmme." She started to sob again. I looked at Tank.

"Gather up her things and take them back to my apartment. I'm taking her home with me." I got no argument from anyone, so I guessed no one had a problem with it. I carried Kat out to the SUV and got in back with her. Ranger drove and Bobby got in back with us to look Kat over.

"Sweetheart, can you tell me where he is?" She shook her head.

"He took off when I told him I pressed the panic button that Ranger had given me. I'm so sorry to be so much trouble." I put my index finger under her chin and lifted her head.

"Look at me. You are never any trouble, do you hear me? I told you, we all love you. Nothing that has happened is your fault. Do you understand me." She looked at me and nodded. Bobby continued to tend to her lip, and gave her an ice pack for her cheek. By the time we got back to Rangeman, she was asleep in my arms.

"Ranger, can you call Steph and/or Ella to get her changed into different clothes. Can you also make sure Ram is distracted? I don't want him coming out of his apartment as I'm bringing her into mine. I want to talk to him first." Ranger nodded and made the calls. He got out to go up to Ram's apartment to keep him occupied while I got Kat up there. I would text him when everything was taken care of. After a few minutes, I got out of the car with Kat in my arms and headed up to my apartment. When I got there, Steph and Ella were already waiting for me.

"What happened Les?" I looked at Steph.

"Her fucking manager tried to rape her." Ella gasped as she opened the door for me. I walked in and layed her on the bed. Ella put her hand on my arm.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of her." I nodded to the both of them. I walked out and Tank was just arriving with Kat's things.

"Just put them over in the hall Tank." He nodded, and I walked out of my apartment. I texted Ranger to meet me in his office.

I had only been waiting a few minutes when Ranger, Bobby, and Tank all filed into the room.

"We have two, well three issues. First, where the fuck is Jake? Second, do we tell Ram about what happened? Third, do we tell Ram that Kat is here?" Ranger was his eloquent self.

"First, we find out where. Second, we need to. Third, we have to." All I could think was, this is going to be a clusterfuck.

Ram POV

I was sitting in my apartment thinking about how weird it was to have Ranger just come up and talk to me like that. My phone beeped with a text. It was Ranger needing me to come down to his office for a briefing. I put my uniform on and headed up to his office. I knocked, and walked in when he told me to come in. I looked around and saw the whole core team. I knew something had happened.

"What's going on? Is Kat ok?" I kept looking from one man to the other. Ranger spoke.

"Sit down Ram." I sat next to Lester on the couch. "I'm telling you as your boss, that you need to keep control of yourself." I nodded. "About two hourse ago the alarm went off for Kat's panic button." I instantly tensed, but Ranger put his hand up. "We arrived at her manager's house and found her alone there. She has a busted lip, bruised cheek bone, and her clothes were ripped and torn up. He had tried to rape her." I began to stand up, but Les and Tank both put their hands on my shoulders to keep me seated. "He had run off before we got there, so we need to find him. We are going to need all the help we can get, that's why I told you. Can you hold it together to help us look for him?" I felt the rage boiling inside me, but I nodded my head. "Believe me Ram, you know that I know how this feels. The important thing is finding him before he tries to hurt her." I looked up.

"Where is she now? Is she ok? Can I see her?" I noticed Ranger look at Lester, and he was the one to answer me.

"Physically, she'll be fine. I'll ask her if she wants to see you." He looked away for a second, then back at me. "She's staying here, in my apartment." I jumped up off the couch.

"The hell she is! My woman is NOT staying in your apartment with you." I heard Tank's booming voice.

"SIT YOUR ASS DOWN RAMSEY!" I sat down and looked at Tank. "I'm sorry to bring this up, but she isn't your woman anymore." I ran my hand through my hair. I knew he was right. I had lost her. "She wants to stay at Lester's place, and you're going to live with it, because she's been through a lot and that's what she wants and needs right now. You know Santos isn't going to make a play for her." I wasn't so sure, but it looked like I didn't have a choice. It felt like everything was falling apart. If I hadn't of been so stupid a few months ago, she would've been here with me, instead of at that fucker's house. This never should've happened to her. Lester put his hand on my shoulder.

"This isn't your fault Ram. And Tank is right. I'd never make a play for your woman. I'll talk to her when she wakes up and see if she'll talk to you, ok?" I nodded.

"I just want to tell her that the baby doesn't change how I feel about her. I love Kat not Karen. I don't have to be with Karen to be involved with my child." Lester nodded to me. Ranger spoke up again.

"Steph ran a search on the manager before. I've got Woody and Cal checking a place out now. If they find him I'll let you guys know. Dismissed." I got up and didn't know if I should threaten Santos, or plead with him not to touch her. Until I found out if we could work things out, I guess I'd just have to plead with him.

"Les, can I talk to you for a minute?" He followed me into the emptry breakroom.

"What's up Ram?" He folded his arms. God this was hell.

"Les, Kat is the love of my life. I can't even imagine my life without her. I'm pleading with you, please don't move in on her. I want to see if there is a chance in hell we can work this out." The fucker smirked at me, but then looked me in the eyes.

"Ram, I told you, I'm not going to try anything with her. She is so in love with you, it kills me to see her so sad. I want you two to work things out. I was going to talk to her later about giving you a shot. Don't worry bro, I got your back." He smiled at me and headed toward the stairs. I guess I underestimate him sometimes. I think a lot of people do.

I had been in my apartment for a few hours when there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Lester standing there.

"I'm going down to the gym for an hour. Kat agreed to hear you out. Don't fuck it up. It took a lot just to get her to talk." I nodded, thanked him, and headed across the hall to his apartment. I knocked, then turned the knob to find it open. I went towards the bedroom where I saw the light on. When I walked in and saw her lip and cheek, I wanted to kill Jake. That son of a bitch was going to pay. She looked at me.

"You wanted to talk to me?" I nodded and motioned to the side of the bed.

"May I sit?" She shrugged and nodded. I could see tears welling up in her eyes, and she looked away. "Please don't shut me out. Just listen to what I have to say." She looked at me again. The pain and sadness in her eyes made me feel like I couldn't breathe. "Yes, Karen is going to have my child, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. Karen and I had been broken up for over a month before I even met you. I never ever wanted to hurt you. I love you." She closed her eyes and the teardrops fell. I used my thumb to wipe them away. "Kitten," She opened her eyes and looked at me. "She may be the mother of my first child," I paused, then looked her in the eyes, "but I want you to be the mother of the rest of them." Her eyes got wide and she launched herself into my arms. God it felt good to hold her again. She looked at me.

"Will you take me home now?" I looked at her puzzled. "To your place...Collin." I grinned and picked her up and carried her to my bedroom...where she belonged.

I woke up the next morning relieved to see that Kat was still with me. Then I suddenly remembered that Karen was supposed to be coming here this afternoon. Kat was starting to wake up, and I needed to tell her.

"Morning Kitten, how are you feeling?" She started to stretch, then hissed.

"I'm a little sore, but I'm ok."

"Are you sure? I can call Bobby." She looked me in the eye.

"I'm alright. Stop worrying."

"I can't stop. I love you too much to stop." She smiled at me. "I need to tell you something. Karen is going to be coming to the building to talk." I felt her tense. "I called her and set this up before I talked to you. I wanted to talk to her about how things were going to work, because even if you didn't take me back, I was never going to be with her." Kat looked at me with eyebrows raised.

"Why not?" I smiled at her.

"I told you, this baby doesn't change the fact hat YOU are the only woman that I love." She smiled at me.

"I love you too Collin." Good God I loved hearing my name on her lips.  
We got up and got ready for the day. She was going to see Steph while I spoke to Karen. After Kat left, I waited for Karen to be escorted up here.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I want to thank all of you who have read & reviewed this story, the response is amazing. I especially want to thank my BFF, XxTartLoverxX, because without her support & encouragement, this story wouldn't have been published. The next chapter is tentatively the last one. I didn't know if any of you would be interested in reading more of my ramblings. I guess I leave it up to you all! Once again, thank you for making this an amazing experience, I can't begin to tell you what it means.

When the knock came at the door, I swallowed the lump in my throat and answered it. This was not going to be easy. Karen looked beautiful. It reminded me why I was first attracted to her. Then she opened her mouth...and it reminded me why I couldn't stand her. She kissed me on the lips and just walked right in.

"Hi baby. One of the first things you need to do is buy a house for us. I brought over some listings that we can look at. You might think they are a little expensive, but you know my needs, and I know you make good money; you can afford them." I was already getting a headache. I grabbed some Tylenol and took it.

"Sit down Karen, we need to talk about a few things." She looked at me puzzled.

"Ok, but I have an appointment to get my nails done in an hour and a half. Where's that Ellie woman? I'm kind of hungry." I rolled my eyes.

"Her name is Ella, and she's off today." She got a surprised look on her face.

"You gave the maid a day off?"

"First, she's not a maid. Second, she works for the company." Karen rolled her eyes.

"Well, we should get a maid for the house. A live in one so that she's always there when I need her." I needed to take control of this 'talk'.

"Look Karen, I'm going to talk for a few, and you need to listen; ok?" She nodded, and crossed her arms. "I plan on meeting my responsibilities to this child, and I'll be involved and be a father to him or her; but you and I are not back together. We are not going to be living together. I have a girlfriend whom I love very much." I saw shock in her eyes. I definitely saw jealousy and anger.

"But I'm having your child, baby"

"We don't have to be together, to have a child." She was definitiely not happy.

"But the baby and I need your support." I took her hand.  
"You both will have my support, in every way...you just won't 'have' me." She grabbed her stomach again.

"Do you want me to lose this baby Ram? Is that what you're trying to do?"  
"NO! Not at all. I'm excited about being a father. You and I both know that we don't belong together. Kat is going to be a wonderful stepmother. Just wait until you get to know her. She's amazing, and she's accepted all of this!" As soon as I mentioned Kat's name, I saw something flash in her eyes, but I couldn't figure out what it was. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"You listen, and you listen good Ram. The only way you are EVER going to see this child, is if you're with me." I didn't like her tone, and I especially don't like threats.

"I will take you to court and get visitation." She smirked at me.

"Baby, do you honestly believe a judge is going to give even partial custody to you? Look at your job and your past. No judge would let you near a child." Was she right? Am I going to have to choose between my baby and the love of my life?

LPOV

I was sitting at my desk finishing up some paperwork when Ranger called me into his office.

"You rang?" Ranger smirked at me.

"Get your game face on Santos. There's a surprise in the holding cell for us." An evil grin spread across my face.

"They found Jake?" Ranger nodded once.

"Zip and Zero picked him up at his house." I shook my head.

"What a dumb son of a bitch." Ranger nodded again, and actually smiled.

"At least he made it easy for us." We both chuckled. He clapped me on the back and we headed down to the basement. I saw Zip and Zero standing on each side of the door. "How's he doing?" The two men looked at each other and grinned, but it was Zero who answered.

"He may need a new pair of undergarments and pants. He also lost his balance and fell a few times, but other than that, he's ok...for now." Ranger and I grinned.

"Good work guys. You're dismissed, he's not going anywhere. Send Binkie and Cal down to replace you two." They nodded and headed towards the stairs. Ranger looked at me with a grin. "Ready to have some fun cuz?" I grinned back at him.

"Always." We bumped fists and he opened the door. When Jake looked up and saw the two of us, his eyes got wide. Our grins had been replaced with menacing scowls that promised retribution. I walked up to him with my arms folded across my chest. "So, you think it's ok to take what you want without consent?" He started shaking.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just lost control for a moment. C'mon, you know how hot Kat is. Those legs go on for miles!" That was it. I punched him right in the jaw. Ranger caught him before he fell back and grabbed him by the hair to make Jake face him.

"I suggest you not speak about Kat like that. My cousin happens to be a very close friend to her, and he will not tolerate you talking about her like that. I can only hold him off for so long before he really loses it." He swallowed hard as Ranger spoke and I stared at him. "It would be in your best interest to talk to us openly and willingly." Jake was looking between the two of us.  
"You can't do anything too serious. The cops will find out." The next part he muttered under his breath. "I should've just drugged her again." I saw red, and Ranger nodded to me. I grabbed his right hand and separated his fingers. CRACK.

"That's for thinking we can't do anything." CRACK. "That's for what you muttered under your breath." Jake was screaming in pain.

"What the fuck! You guys are insane!" I grinned at him.

"That may be, but right now, you're at our mercy. I advise you to answer all of Ranger's questions, or I'll break the rest of your fingers, and then move on to your other bones." His eyes got wide. "Do you understand?" He nodded his head vigorously. He looked at Ranger.

"Were you the one that slipped a roofie into her drink at that party?" He nodded. "Are you the one that sent the threatening letters?" He nodded again. "Are you the one that sent her the tarantulas and blew up the car?" Now he shook his head. I could tell he was telling the truth, but I just hated him, so...CRACK...I broke another finger.

"I'm telling you the truth. Please don't hurt me anymore!"

"Who did do those things?" Ranger had a brow raised.

"Some psycho named Karen. I don't know her last name. She just told me to keep doing what I was doing. She said that she would work on driving your boy and Kat apart." He was starting to sweat. I hope I didn't throw him into shock. "I got angry after the car bomb because I told her it could've killed Kat. When she told me that she and Ram used to date, she said that she would fake a pregnancy and then a miscarriage. She said it would keep Ram with her and drive Kat into my arms." The fucker grinned a little when he said that last sentence, and it pissed me off, so I knocked him out. I looked at Ranger.

"We need to tell Ram and Kat ASAP." Ranger got a look in his eyes.

"We need to find Kat and tell her first." I raised a brow.

"Why is that?" Ranger started to head for the door.

"Because Karen is here right now talking to Ram in his apartment. I want to find out what Kat wants to do. She's may want her own revenge." I grinned when I thought about it. Oh hell yeah, she'll want it.

We made our way up the stairs to Steph's cubicle. We found her and Kat sitting there talking. It looked like she had been crying. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" She turned around and gave me a weak smile.

"No. I just have a bad feeling about Karen and Ram talking. Like she's going to make trouble somehow." I looked at Ranger and we both grinned.

"Well sweetheart, you're right about the trying to make trouble part. But, we can stop it." Steph and Kat both looked up at us excitedly. Ranger and I filled them in on everything that Jake had told us. The anger I saw in Kat and Steph's eyes almost made me fear for Karen's life. But then I just grinned at the two women.

We made our way down to Ram's apartment, and quietly waited outside the door. As the the door opened, we heard Karen say, "Remember, you have 24 hours to decide. Her, or the baby and I." I wanted to rip her arms off. When they both noticed us standing there, Ram looked surprised, but made introductions. the rest of us stood back.

"Kat, this is Karen. Karen this is Kat." Karen stuck her nose up, but Kat put her hand out to shake Karen's hand. Karen rolled her eyes and begrudgingly put her hand out. When Kat grabbed her hand, she pulled Karen towards her and brought her knee up, to perfectly nail Karen right in the stomach. She fell over clutching stomach and coughing.

"What the fuck you crazy bitch! I'm pregnant!" Ram looked at Kat.

"What the hell are you doing Kat! That's my baby in there!" He was bending down to help Karen when Kat grabbed his arm and pulled him back up.

"No it isn't. There isn't room for one soul in there, much less two." Karen looked up at Ram.

"Aren't you going to do something?" Steph stepped up.

"I will." Steph proceeded to kick Karen. Then Ranger and I stood her up and cuffed her. Ram was looking around not knowing what to think.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" I looked at him.

"This skank here was pretending to be pregnant to break you two up. Jake spilled his guts." Ram's eyes turned cold and hard. "Oh, and she's also the one that sent the tarantulas and blew up the SUV." Now his eyes turned murderous.

"Get this piece of trash away from me before I kill her." We handed her off to Tank. I saw Ram turn to Kat and cradle her face in his hands.

"I'm so sorry for all of this Kitten." She smiled.

"It's not your fault Collin. I love you." He smiled.

"I love you too." He laid one helluva hot kiss on her. I had to comment.

"Take it inside you two. I'm all for you guys being together, but I don't wanna watch!" Everyone chuckled, and they walked into the apartment as they were still kissing. I shook my head. "Crazy kids."


	10. Chapter 10

Ram POV

The last six months have been amazing. I did buy a house, but it was with Kat. We've been living together for the last four months. Ranger and Stephanie got engaged about three months ago, and it got me thinking. Kat and I are already living together, but I want to make her mine, and me hers, in every way possible. I never thought I'd be the marrying kind or family type of guy, but all of that changed the night I met Kat. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I got together with Steph, who had been singing with Kat for the last five months, and asked her if she would learn a special song for me. She was hesitant at first, but when I told her the reason for it, she was excited to do it. I had been planning this for about a month. I spoke to the band and the club owner. I even talked to Lester and Ranger. I never thought proposing would be this stressful.

It was Saturday and Kat was out shopping with Steph. I made my phone calls and made sure everyone knew that tonight was the night. I was going to ask Kat to marry me. I was a nervous wreck. Ranger had given me the night off, but Kat didn't know that. I was going to go to the club in my uniform, but change into nice clothes right before I pop the question. Everything was ready, and everyone was ready. I just hope she says yes.

Saturday night finally came, and I was watching her on stage. She was magnificent. I still don't know how I got to be so lucky; or why she picked me, but I was grateful. Steph came up behind me."You ready Ram?" She was smiling. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Ready as I'll ever be I guess." My hand was in my pocket gripping the square box. Steph looked me in the eyes.

"She's going to say yes Ram. She loves you." I smiled and calmed down a little bit. I nodded. "Well then, let's get this show on the road. The song is almost over." Steph and I headed towards the stage.

After Kat ended the song she looked over and noticed Steph and I standing on the stage too. She had a puzzled look on her face. I walked over and took the mic from her hand. I cleared my throat.

"I remember the first night I met you. First, I heard your voice, and it tugged at my heart. When I finally saw you, it felt as if you were looking straight into my soul, and singing to me." She brought her hands up to her mouth. "I believe I fell in love with you that night, and I have continued to fall in love with you a little more each day night since then. We made it through some rough times. You made me feel like maybe I did deserve to be loved and be happy. You are my entire world. I love you with my body, heart, and soul. Katarina Novak, will you please make me the happiest man on this planet" I got down on one knee and pulled the box out of my pocket and held it up to her, "and become my wife?" I saw tears streaming down her face. She nodded her head, and wrapped her arms around me.

"YES, YES! A thousand times yes!" I put the ring on her left hand and kissed it. Then I kissed her with all of the love and passion that I had. I suddenly heard Stephanie begin to speak.

"And now the happy couple will have their dance. Congratulations you two." Steph started to sing Skyfall, and I led my bride- to-be to the dance floor. Everyone around us clapped and congratulated us. I looked into her eyes, and I saw my furture. I finally understood what love can really be, and that I too, was deserving of it.


End file.
